Chuck sat against a pillar in front of the Palace Hotel as Blair iced the bruise on his face. "Does it feel any better?" she asked after a while.
He cleared his throat, "A little bit."
"I still can't believe he punched you."
"Well, Blair, you can't exactly blame him. After what I did I probably deserved it."
Blair stopped icing him and just stared, amazed. "Wow. Chuck Bass taking responsibility for his actions. Now that is something I've never heard of."
Chuck smiled, "Very funny, Waldorf." Blair smiled back and then continued to ice his cheek. "You know, I never got an answer."
"An answer to what?"
Chuck stared at her longingly, "To what I said. Before Nate caught us. Those...three words."
Blair stopped icing again and stared at him. She then sighed and said, "Before I answer...I need to ask you something. Well...somethings."
"Anything." Chuck then tucked a stray strand of her chocolate brown hair behind her ear.
"First," Blair took a deep breath, "did you mean it?"
Chuck stroked her hair. "Yes."
"You love me?"
"...Yah."
"Why?" Blair asked. The last time a guy told her he loved her, she found out that that someone had strong feelings for her best friend. So now, Blair had to know why. This way, she doesn't make that kind of misplaced trust again.
He smiled. "You make me laugh and smile no matter how bad a day it was or even if I just got punched." Blair giggled at this. "You never let anyone get in the way of what you want. The list goes on and on but, most importantly, I love you...because I can't imagine my life without you."
Blair bit her lip. She then leaned forward slowly and kissed Chuck gently. She pulled away and said, "I love you, too."
They both smiled and continued to kiss as if there would never be a tomorrow.
**********
Chuck stood up and pulled Blair off the ground. "So," she said, "Want to...take this up to your suite?" Blair smiled against his lips.
"Mm...I'd love to but there is just one thing I need to do first. Meet me up there?"
Blair smiled. "With nothing on me but sheets."
Chuck closed his eyes to picture that fine image thenopened them a second later. "Mm, can't wait." He kissed her and then stood there as she walked back into the hotel. Chuck turned towards Nate and Serena and walked, bravely, up to them.
Nate looked at him lazily as he asked, "You got a second?"
He looked at Serena, sighed, then looked back at Chuck. "Why not?" They both walked toward the gate entrance to the courtyard and stood there in silence for a bit.
"Nate, I really am sorry."
Nate gritted his teeth. "You slept with her."
"I know." Chuck looked down at his feet guiltily. "Do you ever see yourself...forgiving me?"
"At the time being...no." They stood together, again, in silence until Nate decided to break it, "Do you love her?"
Chuck's head snapped up. "What?"
"Serena was saying all this stuff about how she could tell by the way you look at Blair...that you love her. Do you?"
He inhaled and exhaled slowly. "Yah. I've honestly never in my life felt this way about anyone before. So...yah," Chuck smiled. "I love Blair Waldorf." Nate was silent for a bit. "Do you hate me?"
"I'm not very close to forgiving you if that's what your asking." Nate sighed. "But I'm willing to work on our...situation."
Chuck looked up at him, hopeful. "Really?"
"It doesn't mean I forgive you. It just means I'll...work towards it." Chuck opened his mouth to ask something but Nate beat him to the punch. "And yes, I'm fine with you and Blair together. Just don't get so...mushy around me."
Chuck smiled. "It's a deal."
**********
Chuck entered his suite and looked around. A pair of heels were lying by his foot. He stepped over them and took a couple steps forward. There, he saw one of Blair's glove. Not too far off, the other one lay on the couch. Then he found Blair's hair clip. Then her dress. And lying on the floor in front of the bed was Blair's black undergarments. Chuck looked up and saw Blair sitting up in his bed, nude under the sheets. Her hair fell perfectly on her white shoulders. She smiled seductively at him. "Hi."
Chuck smiled, stripping down to his boxers. He climbed on top of her as she lay back in the bed. He then stroked her hair. "Hello, beautiful."
Blair bit her lip and smiled. "What took you so long?" she whispered teasingly.
"If you thought that was long...you have no idea what you're in for." He leaned in close so that his lips were centimeters from hers. "I love you." he whispered. Chuck kissed Blair tenderly, treasuring every fleeting second he had with her.
**********
ok, so i know i said that this was the last chapter, and technically it is, but i'm going to write another chapter as a prologue. The prologue takes place the morning after the night in the limo if Blair woke up in Chuck's bed....